Sincerely,

A Concerned Citizen

I scroll down and find an old picture of me with my top off at a college frat party attached to the email. This was taken a couple years ago when I was in the height of my random sexual Olympics. I don’t even remember the name of the guy whose lap I’m straddling in the photo. One thing’s for sure: I won’t give whoever this is sending me these emails any additional incentive to go digging around in my past. No good will come of it.

After I collect my bag, I exit the train and make it out to passenger pick up, fully expecting Wayne to be waiting for me like the last time I arrived, but I’m surprised when I spot Kimmy leaning against her beat-up red Honda, a huge smile on her face.

“Surprise! I volunteered to pick you up,” she says as she greets me with a hug.

I stiffen in her arms, not expecting the warm greeting. “Thank you.”

She pulls back and then heads toward her trunk. “It was no problem. Besides, I figured it would be a good time for us to talk.”

While I highly doubt the blackmailer is Kimmy, I don’t like the way she said that. It’s like she knows some juicy secret that she can’t wait to spill, and it puts me on edge.

Traveling down the highway toward Serenity, I glance over at Kimmy, silently willing her to spill whatever beans she’s holding.

Finally, she takes a breath and asks, “What’s going on with you and Tyke?”

I shove my hair back from my face. I know she knows about us, but I’d like to keep exactly what she knows to a minimum. “Nothing more than what you already know.”

She shakes her head. “Oh, I don’t think so. There’s got to be more. You should’ve seen him this weekend.”

The picture of him kissing Josie floods my brain, and I can honestly say I didn’t miss him at all after seeing that. As a matter of fact, just thinking about him doing that pisses me off.

I sit quietly, trying to pretend that I don’t want to hear what exactly Tyke did this weekend, but my damn curious brain wins out and I ask, “What should I have seen?”

“Ha!” Kimmy laughs and smacks the steering wheel. “I knew there was more than just sex going on with the two of you. If I tell you what I saw, will you tell me about what’s going on?”

I should say no, but it would be nice to get some of these feelings off my chest. It might be stupid and naive for me to confide in her, but I haven’t had anyone to talk to about what’s going on with me. Talking to Kimmy would be nice.

“Deal.”

“Awesome.” She grins even wider. “Okay, so while you were away, it was like he was lost. Tyke moped around, checking his phone every five minutes. It was totally cute. Of course, no one else but me seemed to notice how sad he was because he keeps pretty much to himself most of the time, with the exception of his random flirtiness last week, but that’s beside the point. That guy has it bad for you.”

Warmth grows inside my chest at the thought of Tyke missing me, but the fuzzy feeling is instantly ripped away when I think about that picture I was sent. “I don’t know, Kimmy.”

“Wait. Hold up. You think he doesn’t? Have you seen the way the man looks at you?” she asks, flabbergasted.

I stare straight ahead as I think about the possibility that the blackmailer may have just been at the right place to catch a picture that would make Tyke appear to not give a shit about me. It’s possible, I suppose, that I have the situation all wrong, but a picture speaks a thousand fucking words.

“Now, I’ve told you a little something. You going to tell me how serious the two of you are?” Kimmy’s question pulls me away from deep thought.

I sigh. A promise is a promise.

“We’re pretty serious, I guess,” I tell her honestly. “We barely know each other, and yet when we’re together, it always feels so intense. I don’t think we’re going to work out, though.”

“I’m sorry. That sucks.” She frowns. “He seems deep, like he’s always got something on his mind, and a hard person to get to know.”

She’s quiet for a moment and then she smiles. “When you say intense . . . does that carry over into the bedroom?”

I blush fiercely, and decide it can’t hurt to be a little candid about our sex life.

“It does.”

I glance over at her, and we both burst out in a fit of giggles. It feels good to laugh. It’s been far too long since I’ve done that.

The moment we park at Serenity, I make my way to the cottage to drop off my bag before I set off to find Tyke. I need answers. After unlocking the door, I set my bag just inside the entry without going all the way in and then quickly relock the door.

I pull my cell out of my pocket and send a quick text to Tyke.

Frannie: I’m back. Want to see you. Where are you?

I keep my phone in my hand as I make my way to the main house, hoping that even though I’ve ignored his texts, he’ll answer mine. I check the time on my phone and see that it’s almost time for dinner to be over, so I make my way toward the dining hall in hopes of finding him. Before I get there, my phone chimes with a new message.

Tyke: By the fountain in five.

It’s time we get everything out in the open. If he means what he says about wanting to be with me, then now is the time for him to prove it. He can also tell me why in the hell he was kissing Josie Sullivan.

When I come to the top of the hill, I allow my eyes to travel down the path and find Tyke, sitting on a bench, facing the fountain. He’s too far away for me to be able to read his expression, but he’s staring straight ahead, like he’s lost in deep thought.